Young Chinese Performers to Visit Orange County

(SANTA ANA) – Twenty-four young performers, The Cathay Future Children Art Troupe from Tianjin, China, will arrive January 30 in Orange County as guests of the County of Orange’s Office of Protocol. The January 30 – February 2 visit, which is hoped will begin a cultural exchange between the city and County, was initiated when William G. Steiner, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, led a County delegation to Tianjin to establish a Sister City/County relationship. Since the Sister City agreements were signed last July, Orange County has become a primary destination for arriving business delegations from Asia.

"Tianjin is an important port city of more than 9.4 million residents located near Beijing," said Steiner. "We have hosted delegations from China on a regular basis and have encouraged the entrepreneurial spirit of the Chinese people who are experiencing phenomenal economic growth. There is much we can learn from one another."

The troupe of musicians and dancers, ages 6 to 13, will be featured in the opening ceremonies January 31 of the third annual Asian Festival of Southern California. The group will perform colorful folk dances and ballet in addition to playing traditional Chinese musical instruments. The children go on stage at 11:15 a.m. at Westminster Mall on the main stage at the lower JC Penney Court. The mall is located at Golden West and Bolsa Avenues in Westminster.

While in the county, the children and their 12 chaperones will be honored at a January 30 reception at the County’s Old Court House hosted by the Protocol Foundation, a non-profit organization which supports the Office of Protocol. During their stay, the guests will also see an IMAX movie, perform at the American/Chinese Chamber of Commerce New Year’s event on January 31 and spend their last full day in the Orange County at Disneyland.

The delegation will be housed in the homes of Protocol Foundation members during their stay, said Jean Whitney, Foundation member and Chair of the Protocol Commission.

"The Office of Protocol and I are delighted about the children’s visit and the beginning of a cultural exchange," said Joanne Sokolski, Chief of Protocol. "This office will be anxious to begin scheduling auditions for young OC performers when we start planning our return visit to Tianjin." No dates have yet been set for that trip.

(Attached is the itinerary for the children’s activities while in Orange County. The media is invited to all events.)

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